Circuit breaker handle construction



May 26, 1964 D. B. POWELL CIRCUIT BREAKER HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 24, 1962 FIGJ INVENTOR.

05 1 10 5. Paws BY WW1 cm A7701? IVE Y FIG-3 United States Patent 3,134,881 CIRCUIT BREAKER HANDLE CGNSTRUCTION David B. Powell, Bristol, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a. corporation of New York Filed Aug. 24, 1362, Ser. No. 219,218 Claims. (Cl. 200-172) My invention relates to enclosed electric circuit breakers and switches, and particularly to the manually engageable operating handle members of such devices.

Electric circuit breakers and switches commonly include an insulating casing containing relatively movable contacts and operating mechanism for operating the contacts between open and closed circuit positions. The operating mechanism is adapted to be operated from outside the casing by means of an insulating handle which has a portion in engagement with the mechanism inside the casing and a second portion projecting through an opening in the casing and accessible externally.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit breaker handle construction whereby the circuit breaker handle includes a portion which is free to act with a valve-like action to seal the handle opening against the escape of hot gases, and which is nevertheless connected to the handle support member so that when the casing cover of the circuit breaker is removed the operating handle does not fall off.

It is another object of the invention to provide a handle construction for an electric circuit breaker which can be readily assembled without the use of screws or other fastening operations.

In accordance with the invention in one form, a handle construction is provided for an electric circuit breaker in cluding a generally U-shaped metallic handle supporting member, and an insulating, manually engageable handle supported on the handle supporting portion. The handle includes an enlarged arcuate skirt portion and a projecting manually engageable portion. A specially formed spring clip member is provided which interlocks the handle support member and the manually engageable handle, to connect these two members in such a way that the two members are loosely but nevertheless securely held t0- gether.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

' FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of an electric circuit breaker incorporating the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the handle assembly of the circuit breaker of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a portion of the handle assembly of FIGURE 1, and

' FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the handle retaining clip utilized in the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown as incorporated in an electric circuit breaker having an insulating casing including a generally rectangular base and a generally rectangular cover 11. Supported on the insulating base 10 are line and load terminals 12 and 13 respectively. The line terminal 12 is connected by means of a strap 14 to a suitable stationary contact 15. The contact 15 is adapted to be contacted by a relatively movable contact 16 carried by a contact arm 17 pivotally supported in the insulating base on a pivot 18. The contact arm 17 is connected to a first terminal 19 of a trip unit 20 by means of a flexible conductor 21 and bridging strap 22. The outgoing terminal 23 of the trip unit 20 is connected to the load terminal 13, to complete the circuit through the circuit breaker.

A current path portion, such as just described, is re- Patented May 26, 1964 ferred to as a pole of the circuit breaker, such circuit breakers commonly including two or three poles.

For the purpose of moving the movable contacts between open and closed circuit positions, manually operable mechanism is provided including a handle assembly comprising a handle supporting member 25 which is pivotally supported on pivot pins 26 carried by mechanism side frame supports 27. A manually engageable insulting handle portion 28 is supported on the handle support member 25 by means which will now be described in detail, with particular reference to FIGURES 2 and 3. The handle portion 28 includes an enlarged arcuate base or skirt portion 29 which serves to close the handle opening 30 in the top wall of the cover 11 in all positions of the handle.

The handle support member 25 is generally U-shaped and includes a bight portion 32 having a pair of upwardly generally T-shaped lugs 33 and 34 bent upwardly therefrom at each end.

The insulating handle member 28 is provided with a generally central hole or recess 35 for a purpose to be described, and a pair of recesses 36 and 37 for receiving the lugs 33 and 34 respectively.

For the purpose of loosely, but securely mounting the handle member 28 on the handle support member 25, the handle assembly also includes a resilient retaining clip indicated generally at 38 in FIGURE 4. As indicated in this figure, the retaining clip 38 has a generally H-shaped base portion and is formed of tough resilient sheet metal, such as spring steel. The H-shaped base provides two pairs of oppositely directed spaced apart leg portions 39 and 49. The bridging or mid-portion of the base of the member 38 has a pair of upstanding arms 41, each terminating in a return bent pointed end portion 42.

In use, the resilient retainer 38 is placed in position on the handle support member 25 by inserting one pair of legs 39 in engagement with one of the lugs 33, 34, extending in the notches 33A or 34A. The retainer 38 can then be slid in the direction of the first lug far enough to allow the ends of the other pair of legs 40 to enter the corresponding notches of the opposite lug. The retainer is then centered on the support 25 in the position indicated in FIGURE 2. The insulating handle member 28 is then pressed onto this assembly so that the arms 41 enter the recess 35 in the underside of the handle 28, and the lugs 33, 34 enter the recesses 36, 37 respectively. As the arms 41 enter the recess 35, the return bent portions 42 are compressed toward each other slightly and are pressed against the inner side wall surfaces of the recess 35. Any tendency for the handle 28 tobe removed outwardly is thereafter resisted by the action of the points of the portions 42 which dig into the corresponding side wall surfaces of the recess 35 of the handle 28.

The retaining clip 38, in turn, is losely trapped in place with respect to the handle support 25 by reason of the fact that it is prevented from moving sideways far enough for the legs 39 or 40 to become disengaged from the lugs 33, 34 by the fact that the center portions 41 are held in centered position by the handle 28, which in turn is held in centered position on the support 25 by the engagement of the lugs 36 in the recesses 33, 34.

The. leg portions 39 and 40 of the member 38 are angled downwardly with respect to the mid-portion as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. This provides a spring action, by which the handle 28 is resiliently biased outwardly against the corresponding inner wall surface of the cover 11, thus providing an effective seal against the escape of hot gases; Also, if the handle portion 28 should become broken by accident, it may be readily replaced since the handle 28 may be removed from the retainer 38 by the exertion of sufficient force to overcome the gripping effect of the portions 42.

It Will be observed that a handle mounting and retaining assembly has been provided which does not require the use of screws or rivets, and which can be readily assembled by simple manual operations. At the same time, a handle assembly is provided which securely retains the insulating handle member in place while permitting a small amount of unrestricted movement of the handle with respect to its support.

While the invention has been described in only one specific embodiment, it will be readily appreciated that many modifications thereof can be made, and I therefore intend by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electric control device comprising:

(a) an insulating casing;

(b) at least two relatively movable contacts within said insulating casing;

(c) manually operable operating mechanism for said contacts comprising a handle support member movably mounted within said casing;

(d) an insulating handle supported on said handle support member and including a portion projecting outside of said insulating casing through an aperture therein;

(e) said insulating handle having an enlarged base portion within said insulating casing;

(1) means retaining said insulating handle on said handle support member comprising a resilient retaining clip;

(g) said insulating handle having a recess in the undersurface thereof and said resilient retaining clip having a first portion in said recess including pointed end portions engaging the sidewalls of said recess in a direction to oppose movement of said first portion outwardly of said recess;

(It) said resilient retaining clip having a second portion in interlocked relation with said handle support member, said second portion being movable into interlocked relation with said handle support member by movement of said resilient retaining clip in a predetermined direction with respect to said handle support member;

(1') said insulating handle and said handle support member having interengaging means preventing movement of said handle with respect to said handle support member in a direction parallel to said predetermined direction.

2. An electric control device comprising:

(a) an insulating casing;

(b) at least one pair of separable contacts within said casing;

(c) operating means for operating said movable contacts comprising a handle support member movably mounted within said insulating casing;

(d) an insulating handle supported on said handle support member and including a manually engageable portion projecting outside of said insulating casing through an aperture in a wall thereof and an enlarged base portion lying closely adjacent an inner wall surface of said insulating casing;

(e) means retaining said insulating handle on said handle support member comprising a resilient retaining clip;

(f) said insulating handle having a recess extending upwardly through a bottom surface thereof and said resilient retaining clip having a first portion in said recess including pointed end portions resiliently engaging the inner side walls of said recess to oppose movement of said first portion outwardly of said recess;

(g) said resilient retaining clip having a second portion in interlocked relation with said handle support member, said second portion being movable into interlocked relation with said handle support member by movement of said resilient retaining clip in a predetermined direction with respect to said handle support member;

(/1) said insulating handle and said handle support member having interengaging means preventing movement of said handle with respect to said handle support member in a direction parallel to said predetermined direction;

(i) said insulating handle being disengageable from.

said handle support member by movement in a second direction, and

(i) said engagement of said first portion of said resilient retaining clip with said insulating handle preventing movement of said insulating handle with respect to said handle support member in said second direction suiiicient to remove said insulating handle from said handle support member.

3. An electric circuit control device comprising:

(a) an insulating casing;

(b) at least two relatively movable contacts within said insulating casing;

(0) operating means for operating said relatively movable contacts comprising a handle support member movably mounted within said insulating casing;

(d) said insulating casing including a first wall portion having a handle aperture therein;

(e) an insulating handle supported on said handle support member and including a manually engageable portion projecting outwardly of said insulating casing through said handle aperture;

(f) said insulating handle including an enlarged portion within said insulating casing adjacent the inner surface of said first wall portion and closing said handle aperture in all operated positions of said handle;

(g) said insulating handle and said handle support member having interengaging portions preventing relative movement of said handle and said handle support member in a first direction but permitting relative movement of said insulating handle and said handle support in a second direction substantially at right angles to said first direction;

(/1) a retaining clip having a first portion engaging said insulating handle and a second portion engaging said handle support member;

(1') said retaining clip and said handle support member having interengaging portions permitting movement of said clip with respect to said handle support member in said first direction and preventing movement of said clip with respect to said handle support member in said second direction;

(j) said retaining clip having a resilient gripping engagement with said insulating handle preventing relative movement of said retaining clip and said insulating handle in said second direction;

(k) whereby substantial movement of said retaining clip with respect to said handle support member is prevented by said handle, and substantial movement of said handle with respect to said support is prevented by said clip.

4. An electric circuit control device comprising:

(a) an insulating casing;

(b) at least two relatively movable contacts within said insulating casing;

(0) operating means for operating said contacts within said casing comprising a handle support member movably mounted within said casing;

(d) said insulating casing including a first wall portion having a handle aperture therein;

(e) an insulating handle member supported on said handle support member and including a manually engageable portion projecting outwardly of said insulating casing through said handle aperture in a first direction and an enlarged base portion within said insulating casing closely adjacent the inner walls surface of said first wall portion surrounding said handle aperture and closing said handle aperture in all operated positions of said handle;

(f) said base portion of said handle having a recess therein extending from the underside thereof in a direction parallel to said first direction and at least one second recess in said base portion extending in a direction parallel to said first direction;

(g) said handle support member having a generally T-shaped lug extending into said second recess;

(h) a handle retaining clip including a first portion resiliently received within said first recess and ineluding pointed end portions resiliently pressed against the inner side wall surfaces of said recess to resist movement of said first portion outwardly thereof;

(i) said retaining clip having a second portion extending into engagement with said T-shaped lug whereby movement of said retaining clip outwardly from said handle support in said first direction is prevented by said T-shaped lug;

(i) said retaining clip being movable into engagement with said T-shaped lug by movement in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, and

(k) movement of said retaining clip in said second direction being prevented by the engagement of said retaining clip in said first recess.

5. An electric circuit control device comprising:

(a) an insulating casing,

(b) at least two relatively movable contacts within said insulating casing, (0) operating means for operating said movable contacts comprising a handle support member movably mounted within said insulating casing,

(d) said insulating casing including a first wall portion having a handle aperture therein,

(e) said handle support member having a generally planar handle supporting portion movable reciprocally along a predetermined path adjacent said handle aperture,

(1) an insulating handle member supported on said handle supporting portion and including a manually engageable portion projecting outwardly of said insulating casing through said handle aperture and an enlarged base portion within said insulating casing and extending closely adjacent the inner wall surface of said first wall portion and closing said handle aperture in all operated positions of said handle,

(g) said handle supporting portion of said handle support member including a pair of spaced generally T- shaped retaining lugs extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of said handle supporting portion,

(h) a resilient retaining clip having portions interengaging said insulating handle member and said handle supporting member to retain said handle member on said handle supporting member while permitting limited loose movement of said handle member in a direction outwardly of said casing,

(i) said retaining clip being formed of resilient sheet metal material and including a generally H-shaped base portion including an intermediate bridging portion and two pairs of leg portions extending therefrom in opposite directions and a pair of resilient arms extending from the central portion of said bridging portion substantially at right angles to the plane of said H-shaped base portion, said arms terminating in return-bent pointed portions directed outwardly from each other,

(j) said retaining clip being positioned on said handle supporting portion with the end portions of said pairs of legs straddling said T-shaped lugs respectively so that movement of said retaining clip outwardly from said handle supporting portion is prevented by the enlarged portions of said T-shaped lugs,

(k) said insulating handle member having a central recess extending from the underside thereof outwardly substantially co-axially with said manually engageable handle portion and a pair of lug receiving recesses on opposite sides of said central recess respectively,

(I) said resilient arms of said clip being resiliently received within said central recess with said pointed end portions in gripping engagement with the inner wall surfaces of said central recess and said T-shaped lug portions being received in said lug-receiving recesses respectively,

(m) whereby movement of said insulating handle outwardly from said handle supporting portion in a direction outwardly of said casing is prevented by the engagement of said leg portions of said clip with said T-shaped lugs, and movement of said handle member with respect to said handle support member in a direction at right angles to said first direction is prevented by engagement of said lugs with side wall portions of said lug-receiving recesses.

No references cited. 

1. AN ELECTRIC CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) AN INSULATING CASING; (B) AT LEAST TWO RELATIVELY MOVABLE CONTACTS WITHIN SAID INSULATING CASING; (C) MANUALLY OPERABLE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SAID CONTACTS COMPRISING A HANDLE SUPPORT MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CASING; (D) AN INSULATING HANDLE SUPPORTED ON SAID HANDLE SUPPORT MEMBER AND INCLUDING A PORTION PROJECTING OUTSIDE OF SAID INSULATING CASING THROUGH AN APERTURE THEREIN; (E) SAID INSULATING HANDLE HAVING AN ENLARGED BASE PORTION WITHIN SAID INSULATING CASING; (F) MEANS RETAINING SAID INSULATING HANDLE ON SAID HANDLE SUPPORT MEMBER COMPRISING A RESILIENT RETAINING CLIP; 